On: Let's Build a Can Stirling Engine (2000)

[geomark]

The manufacturer of the Stirling engine for those submarines, Kokums, is the source of the engines used for a dish-Stirling solar energy system I worked on for a licensee of Stirling Energy Systems[1]. It was a concentrating solar energy system consisting of a parabolic mirror focusing sunlight onto a heater head atop the Stirling engine. Quite efficient at around 30% conversion of direct sunlight to electricity - each unit generated about 25kW under clear skies. Quite a simple system - just a big mirror, sun tracker, Stirling engine and generator. Super reliable - no nasty combustion products. And not very expensive - BOM cost about the same as a mid-size car. But dropping PV prices ended up killing it.

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_Energy_Systems

[VBprogrammer → geomark]

I've come across those Stirling engine parabolic dish systems before and always thought they looked really impressive. Definitely installed in my dream off grid retirement place somewhere sunny.

[geomark → VBprogrammer]

Although quieter than ICEs, those engines are not silent. Too noisy to be close to homes. You would need to keep that in mind in your off grid dream.

[yetihehe → geomark]

What was the most expensive part of building that engine?

[geomark → yetihehe]

I don't know the details on the engine as we did not build it; it was sourced from Kokums.